Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-06-23


It's path through Lava and lsancroft,a
woods like sticks. About halfway down
the hamlet, situated at the base Of hill
on which stands the house OF Mrs.
Fulton, were two small two-storied frame
houses occupied by James Noble and
George Doran, and their fauilies. On
the dividing line between Mrs, Fultun,a
property and Mobiles ho1se was
an immense tree which measured
about four feet in diameter az IL
base while it's top lowered above the frail (
dwellings which IL was soon to crush. /
The tree at its root was about Ia feet IN
diameter, but the roots were near the sur- /
face Of the ground and were rotted. Mr..
Noble had only moved into his house
about hve months ago, and Mr.. Doran had
occupied his even for shorter time.
and the former aaidthat he had
been afraid of tho tree falling for
some time. The base of the tree
stood about 16 feet from the back shed Of
Mobiles house. The two houses stood
back from the road and each contained
i've rooms, three above and two below.
When the storm burst Mr.. Noble, who
had been sleeping on his front porch,
arose and entered his house
through the back kitchen, TO awaken
his family and call them down In
the kitchen, next TO q stone wall.
which would afford some protection from
the storm. He had Just entered the
kitchen, when, the immense tree swayed
by terrific blast OF wind, came crashing
down on the frail dwellings, and their
| frightened occupants without warning.
Mrs. Noble was asleep in the second
story front room, and as she
10 the only one who was dis.
figured, II ia thought that abe
received the full force of the blow.
Directly back Of her room on the same
floor was her daughter, Mrs. Hammond,
with four small children from an infant
up. The innocent little children were all
in bed when the immense tree crashed
through ono end of their room, crushed
the bed.stead on which they were living
to splinters and yet all of them escaped
uninjured. The fallen roof was caught o
short distance above their bed and re-
manned there until the mother and her
four children had safely escaped. They
| were all shocked and bewildered by the
sudden catastrophe and the grandfather
in looking for the lost ones, found the
little boy wandering about naked. in the
storm utterly bewildered and dumb
founded.
At Doran's house, which was the fur
thest from the tree, the scenes were terri
BILE. A heavy limb of the immense tree
seemed to do the damage here. Mr..
Doran and the Oldest child were asleep in
the front second-story room, while Mrs.
Doran and the three-months- baby
were In the back room. When the storm
arose, Mrs. DorRn was awakened by the
noise. She arose and walked into
her husbands room 10 the window
which she proceeded to close. Her hus-
band had just told her TO return and close
the window in her own room when the
tree came crashing through the roof and
pinned them I'LL where they stood. The
debris in the Doran house covered the
occupants completely and IL is thought
TINT Mrs. Doran and the child were
smothered, as few marks and bruises
were found on them. Mrs. D0ran WAS
heard 10 scream immediately after the
accident, when all became still. When
her body was extrieated from the ruins
sort Of gasp escaped her, as though
life had Just left. Her body, as well
az that of the Oldest boy, was
still warm when recovered, but
the doctors pronounced both dead when
they arrived. George Doran himself es-
capped only by miracle, as he seemed to
get air from q small vent through the
debris. The infant was found covered
with gravel and dirt and badly bruised.
Its eyes were closed but life still
fingered. It was probably half hour
, after the accident, when George w.
Law and Owen e. Rice arrived ON the
scene and went to work OF once. With
saving away the big limbs and lifting the
heavy debris by means of block and fall,
| IL was two hours before the bodies were
reached. Doran could be heard calling
for help, otherwise all was still.
First they found the infant,
which was handed to some one
| in the large crowd which had assembled
! by this time. AS each one of the bodies
i was brought out of the ruins, the scent
was heart .rending. The body Of Mrs
| Noble was recovered last and was horri
a bly, dishgured. II was after O'Clock be
4 fore the work Of searching the ruins had
i been completed. Both houses were
! crushed to splinters excepting the back
> shed of the Mobiles house. Most of tht
q contents were ruined and willing hand
l. l WeEe Dubliy ~ NOih tutb ulOththB NUM-
o ing for anything which was forth saving
Z William p. Bancroft was curly on III,
n scene and did all in his power to alleyiat,
n and aid the suffering. Physicians wer
4 | sent for as hurriedly as possible and Drs
n Wales and Stubs arrived there about
l. O'Clock. The two Women and the chilli
a were already dead. George Doran ha'
q been removed to Thomas Deery's house
II l. L.. art0
a and ia expected to die. The baby viii
a probably recover.
b Coroner Barnhill was notified OF ono,
and accompanied by DIR. Springer wen
A TO the scene Of the accident this morning
\ The coroner gave certificates in all thre
, cases. The body of Mrs. Doran, tall
X fine looking woman, and her child wer
n taken to the residence OF her father, Ber
nard Gallagher, an old resident OF tn
1 Banks, while the injured child is wit
,e Mr.. Doran'a parents. Doran was EN-
n ployed in Bancrofts mill, and was
n steady young man. Mrs. Noble ans
N worked in the card-room at the mills. Al
"a three will be buried in st. Joseph's bury
10 ing ground Oh Friday afternoon. III
whole hamlet is in sadness over the terri
a. BILE catastrophe.
xn | George DOfilu WHO WhS Dhutg hiutou
', the Incident his physician reports yeaterda
III afternoon, will probably recover unless II
%, flamation OF the spinal column or som
ee other unforeseen complication arises. u
q, was Injured in the small of the back. Th
if infant child OF Doran Is not SO badly II
oe iured as was thought and Will receive
"a Both have improved since tho accident
nj THRiLlINd EXPERIENCE.
Is. James DIsher, IN occupant of one Of IL
az | houses that were unro0fed on Front stree
a. hetween-fdnesla. 'nnd Union, had thrill
he ing experiences, MIR. Dlsner Ieslaeu ~ III. ~
~ 1916, and ut the time ni the storm was VI
ks IN he'd, reading EVERY EVENING. His vii
ng alarmed at the violence of the storm, aro
di- to close the windows, and Mr.. Disher we
into n rear room to look inter TWO childrt
hia sleeping there. They were all right, ~
n. he returned to the front room, by Wnl.
"a time the storm was raging SO iul
OF a eyclone and taking his wife and bal
nd went to the cellar as n secure place
tin refupa. He returned to the room instant
wn M two small boys were sleeping on q
and picked them up in his arms. scarce
bar md he done so when the roof was TORN
,ed with terrific crush, and a pie OF nIic
'n fell upon the bed, on the place occupied
lhli ono OF the boys. An Instant later ana I
little fellows head would have been crushe
MT Mr. Disler started with the boys To Inc 9
ad, lar, and Just as he reached the head o.
ain stairs, a lamp placed in wall bracket y
dashed to the floor with an appa!h
crash soaring him terribly. By this til
the front room was barred to the storm, I
wn roof having stripped joists, and plas
nen along In its wild flight, and landed u
,ort ANAL street in the rear OF the house W
aan nm awful crash. The wind and rain now
ha through the house,, and with
10 thunder and lightning, ioLmea
nnnna 10 tarrifv the stOntest hot